This invention relates to apparatus for subdividing strips or "sticks" of printed circuit board terminal pins into predetermined lengths.
Printed circuit board terminal pins are frequently fabricated as parallel, laterally spaced metal pins embedded in a longitudinal bar of thermoplastic material such as nylon. The longitudinal axes of the terminal pins are typically perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the thermoplastic bar. The ends of the terminal pins project from the top and bottom of the bar to allow other circuit elements to make electrical contact with the pins. The cross sectional dimensions of the bar, the spacing of the pins, and the amount and direction of projection of the pins depend on the intended application of the terminal pin assembly.
The strips are typically fabricated in lengths much greater than the lengths of the assemblies to be used. It is therefore necessary to subdivide the originally fabricated strips into the desired finished lengths. This has typically been done by such apparatus as high speed rotary saw blades or by tools which break off desired terminal pin strip lengths. The prior art apparatus has a number of deficiencies, including the production of finished pieces having ends which are burred and otherwise irregular. Such finished pieces have poor appearance and may be difficult to use. For example, burred ends may interfere with the end-to-end stackability of the pieces and may also prevent proper assembly of the pieces with other electrical circuit components. Burrs may also break off from the pieces and contaminate associated electrical circuitry.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide improved apparatus for separating terminal pin strips into finished lengths.
It is another object of the invention to provide terminal pin assembly separating apparatus which can accommodate terminal pin assemblies of various shapes and sizes, and which can subdivide such assemblies into various lengths.
It is still another object of this invention to provide terminal pin assembly separating apparatus which can subdivide such assemblies with a high degree of precision and repeatability and with little or no burring or other undesirable deformation of the thermoplastic bar.